ADA Business Brief: Communicating with People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hospital Settings

People who are Deaf or hard of hearing use a variety of ways to communicate. Some rely on sign language interpreters or assistive listening devices: some rely primarily on written messages. Some people can speak but cannot hear. Effective communication is particularly critical in health care settings where miscommunication may lead to misdiagnosis and improper … Read more

Communication and your Health

Persons with hearing loss often have difficulty conveying and receiving important health related information. A new Pittsburgh based website offers information about timely health and mental health topics, communication tips, local resources, supports and related health links for Deaf, Deaf-blind and hard of hearing people.

For Deaf people: Are you feeling alone at home?

Are you feeling alone at home? No communication at home? Do you want meet old or new friends? Come and join Deaf social events and also check out the calendar events on the website. Pittsburgh Association of the Deaf Clubhouse – Social/activities.TTY/VP: 412-566-7778 Western Pennsylvania Deaf Senior Citizen (WPDSC) – Senior Citizen Deaf Club.WPDSC Member … Read more

Hearing Loss Association of America Meeting

Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) has a Pittsburgh chapter (Hearing Loss Association of Pittsburgh) with meetings held at DePaul School for Hearing and Speech in Shadyside on the third Saturday of each month except June (Chapter Picnic), July, August and December (Chapter Holiday Party). At the meetings, which start at 10AM, the first 30 … Read more

Top 5: Communicate with Hard of Hearing

General top five tips on how to communicate with a Hard of Hearing individual 1. Remember that just because a person can hear your voice, it does not mean they can understand and hear your words perfectly. Face the person directly and stand close enough. Face the person directly and stand close enough for them … Read more

Top 5: Communicate with Deaf

General top five tips on how to communicate with a Deaf individual 1. Relax. Be yourself; do not go overboard when meeting a Deaf individual. Get the Deaf person’s attention and make eye contact. To get their attention, tap the person on the shoulder or wave your hand. 2. Speak slowly and normally, but do … Read more

Hospital Access for Hard-of-Hearing People

Credit goes to Nancy Kingsley, author of Hearing Loss Association of Pennsylvania Introduction Hospitals are required by law to provide access to people with disabilities, and this includes the provision of effective communication to those with hearing loss, whether they are patients or persons who have the authority to make healthcare decisions for the patient. … Read more

Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Other Advocacy Organizations: Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing ODHH provides three primary services, represented by the acronym AIR. We ADVOCATE for people with hearing loss who are not receiving proper services from government or private agencies. We distribute INFORMATION and answer questions on issues relevant to people with hearing loss. We REFER people … Read more